Dark Angel
by september-princess
Summary: The story of Hades and Persephone's daughter, Rowena, Princess of the Underworld.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't claim credit for any of the original characters in mythology, only the ones I create.

I'm new to writing fanfics, and this is my very first one. Please review, so I know how to improve! Thanks (:

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Rowena sighed as she heard the splash of Charon's oars in the water, and felt the presence of more than one soul –many of them, in fact- entering the Underworld at the same time. _Not another group_, she thought in exasperation. Her father, Hades, had made one of his infrequent trips to the mortal world to observe what destructive activity mortals were currently engaged in, and to herd the souls into his realm, leaving his wife and daughter to judge until he returned.

Though Rowena had always known that her father's duties kept him busy, she had never truly appreciated the weight of his workload. Now she sat back, having seen off the last soul from the group, and wondered how her father had managed on such days, especially before her mother became queen.

"Tired?" Persephone regarded her daughter affectionately. The Lady of the Underworld was beautiful –small and slender, with fiery hair and emerald-green eyes. Like all inhabitants of the Underworld, her skin was pale, almost translucent, though she had once been tan from spending her days in the sun.

"Not really." Rowena sat back in her seat in the throne room, or the Room of Judgement as it was called. "It's more tedious than anything else. I don't know how Father lives with it every single day. I certainly wouldn't last a century."

Her mother laughed, a warm melodious sound. "Even I haven't gotten that far," she admitted. "And some days I just want to hide in my room and pretend all these souls know where to go. Your father feels the same."

The young goddess was surprised. She had never once heard the Lord of the Underworld express discontent at his situation. Interpreting her daughter's look correctly, Persephone said, "If there's something your father understands, it's duty. He takes responsibility seriously –he won't ever neglect anything. Or anyone."

Seeing the distant look in her mother's eye, Rowena smiled a little. "Reliving old memories?" she teased gently.

Her mother had told her the story of her parents' meeting before. She knew how Hades had taken Persephone –known as Kore at that time- into the Underworld, and how Persephone's mother Demeter had fought tooth and nail to bring Persephone back to her side. In the end, Persephone put her foot down, not wanting Demeter to take control of her life for her, and had chosen to go back to the Underworld and the man she loved (and whom Demeter despised).

But Rowena knew that her mother had loved the sun. The daughter of the goddess of harvest, she had spent most of her time in the fields, playing with the nymphs and making flowers grow. This was definitely not the way Rowena had seen her mother pass time. "Do you miss it?" she asked her mother now. "The sun, and its warmth?"

The Queen of the Underworld was silent for a moment. "Sometimes I do," she said slowly. "But not often. I knew what I was giving up when I chose to make this place my home. I've never regretted my decision. The sun, and all its goodness, cannot compare to what I have here." Love radiated from her, replacing the earlier trace of wistfulness. "I have you, and I have Hades. You two are all I need, and all I could ever hope for in a family."

Touched, Rowena leaned over and hugged her mother. "Thank you," she whispered, and straightened to meet the next onslaught of souls.

To keep up with the growing number of souls yet to be judged, Persephone and Rowena gave up formality for the sake of efficiency. Each goddess took half of the group, to speed things up.

Every time a soul came before her, Rowena would stretch out her senses to brush the soul's, and read their minds. Being insubstantial, they had no defense against her mental intrusion, and this allowed her to pull out their life stories before she sent them either to Tartarus, the place known as Hell, or to the Elysian Fields, a sort of "Heaven".

Since young, Rowena had had morals drilled into her, to help her decide between right and wrong, knowing that she would help judge in her father's court sometime. These teachings now decided the fate of each soul standing before her.

"Tartarus," she decided softly. The doomed soul shrieked in hatred as she was pulled away, condemned to stay in the pits of Hell forever and beyond. Rowena barely winced at the soul's curses, all directed at her. Most did not go peacefully into Tartarus, and after the initial shock, she had gotten used to their reaction.

It was not a good day –but wars never did send many happy spirits along. Almost three-quarters of those she judged were sent to Tartarus, and from the noise coming from her mother's end of the room, it was clear that the other half proved much the same.

The girl didn't know how long she sat there, reviewing and judging. For every soul that left, another one took its place, and she soon gave up craning her neck to try and see how long the line stretched.

When the last of her group left, bound for the Elysian Fields, Rowena blinked, surprised at the sudden lack of people in the room. Across from her, Persephone too finished and they looked at each other. "Was that the last of them?" Rowena asked.

"I should think so."

"Good." The girl closed her eyes in exhaustion. "Where's Father?"

Persephone frowned. "Hades had better not be sending any more down here before we've taken a breather."

"Hades wouldn't dare."

Instantly, both women's eyes were drawn to the entrance of the throne room, from where the Lord of the Underworld spoke mildly as he strode in. He was tall and fair-skinned, with dark hair that was slightly overlong and equally dark eyes. His features belonged to one of noble birth –but then, he was a god, brother to the King of the Gods.

Rowena had taken after her father, though her eyes were completely her mother's. Persephone had often joked that their second child –if he or she ever came- would be red-haired and dark-eyed.

Hades continued into the room, dropping into his throne and closing his eyes as his daughter had done earlier. He looked as tired as Rowena felt. "Rough day, my lord?" Persephone asked, smiling.

He opened one eye a crack. "You tell me, my lady. I'm sure Tartarus must be full to bursting by now."

"Tartarus will have room for plenty more. It always does," Rowena injected wryly. "What great event happened today, that caused the mass destruction of thousands?"

"Ah." Hades shook his head. "It was the war between Troy and Sparta. Do you know of Queen Helen of Sparta? It seems that a prince of Troy took Helen back with him. King Menelaus of Sparta and his brother, Agamemnon gathered their troops to attack Troy to snatch back their queen."

"A great event, indeed!" Persephone murmured.

"Mortals don't seem to have an ounce of sense," her daughter agreed.

Hades grimaced. "They aren't the only ones," he said darkly. "As if this bloodshed wasn't bad enough, our divine relatives just _had_ to interfere. Let's just say Olympus isn't the most peaceful place to be in right now."

Persephone gave a dry chuckle. "It never was in the first place."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Review if you can (: thanks!

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The nymph, Oria, leapt forward and gave the Lady of the Underworld a tight hug. "Kore! It's wonderful to see you. You have no idea how much we missed you! Is this your daughter?"

"I am Rowena," the girl answered warily, eyeing the nymph. Her enthusiasm seemed to know no bounds.

"I'm Oria!" Then she aimed a teasing frown at Persephone. "Why doesn't she look like you?" she demanded. "She has to take after _him_."

Rowena's eyes frosted over. Her mother stepped in just in time. "Oria, that's not fair. You don't know Hades all that well anyway. And Rowena looks perfectly fine as she is."

"She's more than fine, she's beautiful." The nymph sighed. "I can't get rid of my prejudice," she admitted freely. "It's still difficult to think of you as a woman happily married to the Lord of the Dead, Kore. Or is it Persephone these days?"

"Persephone," Rowena's mother confirmed. "What's changed around here?" she asked, effectively steering the subject clear of dangerous waters.

Oria chattered away, reminding Rowena of a bird that had decided to utter all the noise it would make in its lifetime in the space of one breath. Letting the forest nymph's constant stream of talk blend into the background, she looked at her surroundings as they strolled. Persephone had wanted to visit her old home and her childhood playmates, and Hades had suggested that Rowena follow as well, to take a break from the enclosed Underworld. He had mentioned nothing of overly-talkative nymphs. "Thank you, dear Father," Rowena muttered under her breath, and could have sworn she heard a distant chuckle in reply.

Then, all of a sudden, a group of nymphs came dancing out of the forest to greet the three of them. All of them had the same colouring –tanned skin from hours in the sun, long sun-streaked brown hair tinged with green, and brown eyes flecked with gold. There were glad cries of, "Kore!" and Rowena tried not to wince as all bounded up to hug her mother –she had never dealt with this much over exuberance before, as there was certainly none in the Underworld.

"Hello, dear friends," Persephone laughed warmly. "It is good to see you again. Though I am not known as Kore any longer; I go by Persephone these days. And this is my daughter, Rowena."

Many nymphs came up to speak with Rowena, even as others crowded around Persephone. "I'm Annette, Oria's twin," one nymph offered.

Rowena instantly compared Oria's greeting with Annette's. "You don't seem anything alike," she said, with something unmistakably like thankfulness in her tone.

All the nymphs laughed at that. "We aren't," Annette agreed cheerily. "So everyone knows who is who."

"Every visitor here asks the same thing," another nymph, Zinnia stated. "They learn quick enough though, because if you ever see both of them in the same place, Oria's the one who can't stop talking."

"What do you do in the Underworld, Rowena?" Heather asked curiously.

"I help my parents when they're overloaded," she replied simply. "Like during the war between Troy and Sparta."

The nymphs exchanged glances. "The Trojan War," they murmured.

Annette spoke. "We watched it happen. We couldn't do anything. It must have been terrible for you, working so hard to send them all to the right place."

"More tiring than anything," Rowena said. "Father was up herding them all back, so Mother and I had to settle the souls that came swarming into the Underworld. Most of them died in the war."

Some of the nymphs shuddered. Then suddenly, the mood brightened. "Lady Demeter!" Oria exclaimed. As one, all the nymphs moved to Demeter. Rowena and Persephone, too, turned.

Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, mother of Persephone, stood in the middle of the field. She looked up at them. "You came up, and didn't tell me," she chided them. "A good thing I met Artemis. She told me my forest nymphs were smothering my daughter and granddaughter with their endless chatter."

"Hello, Mother," Persephone said simply.

Demeter smiled at Rowena. "I haven't seen you around in ages. You've grown."

"Thank you, Grandmother."

"Grandmother makes me sound old," the goddess complained.

"You _are_ old, Mother," Persephone told her, with a wicked grin. But if the Goddess of the Harvest was old, she certainly didn't show it. Her wheat-coloured locks tumbled down to her waist, framing a heart-shaped face. Her eyes were the same shape as Persephone and Rowena's, though Demeter's colour was a shade darker.

"Very funny, dear," she said dryly. Changing the subject, she asked, "How long are you staying today?"

"Not for too long, I think," Persephone answered, exchanging a look with her daughter. "We just wanted to visit."

"Well, a day's better than nothing," Demeter muttered. "At least he's letting you out of there once in a while."

Rowena's eyes narrowed. "With all respect, Lady Demeter, I think you're prejudiced against my father. Exactly how much do you know of my life, or my mother's life, with him? It appears that there are many misconceptions about my father, and his realm. I grew up in the Underworld. I know all there is to know about it. And I am perfectly happy there, in my father's kingdom. Might it have occurred to you that we stay in the Underworld by choice?"

There was a long moment of shocked silence in which the nymphs and Demeter stared at Rowena. Persephone, however, was fighting back a proud grin.

"Well," Demeter said wryly, recovering. "If that's what I get when you say 'Lady Demeter', I think I'll prefer that you call me Grandmother."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Please review! Constructive criticism is welcome.

Many thanks to **greaserlvr54** for making my day with the very first review (:

Sorry if this chapter is shorter compared to the first 2. I just rushed it out, after feeling so high and happy from receiving a review.

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Charon, the boatman, sank into a slight bow at the sight of Rowena and Persephone. He was an old man, slightly bent, and only as tall as Persephone. His black eyes sparkled with an inner mischievousness and his yellow teeth showed in a crooked grin. "Welcome back, Your Highnesses."

Rowena smiled as they stepped into the boat. Despite his appearance –which was fearsome, especially to the lost and confused souls that passed by- she liked the old man, knowing that he had an innately kind heart. She'd first met him just weeks after her birth, having escaped from her fussy maids. "Thank you, Charon. How was today's haul?"

"Ain't that many. I can count on my fingers the times I rowed this boat inside. Aye, it's a pretty good day. A man could get used to this," he told them conspiratorially, winking. The boat continued its silent glide, cutting through the dark, depthless waters of the river Styx.

They were quiet until the boat bumped gently onto land once more. "Lord Hades is in the throne room, he is. He's waiting for you, I'll wager," he said.

Both women said their thanks for the ride. "I'll come and see you soon," Rowena promised. Ever since she'd started helping out in her father's court, she hadn't found time to visit him and talk.

"See that you do, lass," he called as the boat turned and made its way back to the entrance of the Underworld.

Rowena and Persephone walked in. The tunnel was damp and lightless, illuminated only by a dim blue glow that would seem eerie in the darkness. As they walked, Rowena heard the sly whispers of the shades around them, trying to lure them away from their destination. The shades didn't dare show themselves, however –even they could recognize goddesses. The women walked on, ignoring them.

The tunnel ended, as abruptly as it had started, with a huge door. The double doors were black and gleaming, and they opened before Rowena and Persephone as they continued into Hades' realm.

True enough, Hades was in the throne room, reading a scroll. "How was your day?" he asked, glancing up at them with a half-smile.

_Pleasant. There's nothing like giving an old goddess who happens to be your grandmother a dressing down, _Rowena thought, remembering the incident with Demeter. An involuntary smile flitted across her face.

Seeing the look, Hades turned to Persephone, one questioning brow raised. Persephone chuckled and took a seat next to her husband. "Our daughter lectured my mother about… misconceptions. Oh, you should have seen it –she was marvelous! The look on Mother's face was absolutely priceless. She seemed shocked beyond words for a minute there."

"A remarkable feat, Rowena," Hades commented, his lips quirking. He inclined his head with mock solemnity. "I congratulate you."

"Oh, stop that!" Rowena scolded lightly. "I didn't mean to reprimand Grandmother." She sighed. "I was _trying_ to be subtle," she said wistfully.

"Keep trying, daughter," Hades said, as he transferred his attention back to his scroll. "Just keep trying."

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Hades entered his bedroom later, to find his wife curled up in an armchair by the fireplace, staring into the flames. "Persephone?" he called softly. She started, and turned her head. Her hair seemed to be on fire, with the background of the leaping flames behind her. Her small frame was dwarfed in the massive armchair. At once, he saw past the hastily-pasted smile to the misery in her green eyes, and his heart ached.

Crouching in front of her so that their eyes would be level, he gently framed her face in his hands. "I know you better than that. You can't fool me, my dear wife. What is it?"

Persephone shook her head. "Nothing." Hades waited. "I'm just being silly, as usual," she insisted. "Everything's fine, really."

"Then you wouldn't be sitting here looking so sad. Please tell me, Persephone," he said quietly. "I can't bear seeing you like this."

She looked down. "It's just… Seeing Oria and Mother and everyone else again, it reminded me of old times. But I know I won't ever be able to fit in there anymore. I can't be the same carefree Kore, daughter of Demeter, any longer, and it just made me sad for awhile, because everything's not the same."

He wound his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She knew what he referred to. "No, it's not that!" she exclaimed, pulling back to look up at him. "I don't regret marrying you, or staying here, or having Rowena. You and Rowena are the best parts of my life." She settled back in his arms with a sigh. "What I miss is really the memories of my childhood. But I know everyone has to grow up sometime, and leave their childhood behind. So, I'm leaving mine behind. I never realized before this how much I actually hung onto. That will change, from now on."

He smiled. "I'm glad," he said simply, and they held onto each other as behind them, the fire flickered and died.


	4. Chapter 4

Hades watched his daughter as she sat, unruffled, sipping her tea as if this day were any other day. Only the tight grip of her hand on the cup revealed her anxiety. If this were someone else, he would be worried at their lack of anticipation for the upcoming event, but this was Rowena –perfect serenity became her.

In contrast, his wife was a bundle of nerves. She paced the length of the room restlessly, without regard for the silk of her emerald dress that whipped around in the air as she turned a sharp one-eighty and continued on.

"One would think _you_ were the one experiencing the Initiation, my dear," Hades commented.

Persephone shrugged. "Oh, mine was easy," she said dismissively. "Thanks to you, of course. It was obvious what I'd do."

"In any case, this should be an experience," Rowena said, speaking for the first time that day.

"Speak for yourself," her mother grumbled. "This isn't even my own Initiation, yet I'm nervous as anything." She had barely completed her sentence when there came a knock on the door. "Finally!" Persephone muttered.

Casting his wife an amused glance, Hades called out, "Come in."

A servant girl stood there. "Your Majesties, Your Highness," she said, bowing. "Lord Hermes is waiting in the Throne Room."

Hades nodded his thanks, and the girl left, fading away into the shadows easily. Glancing at his family, he sighed a little. "Let's get this over with."

Hermes stood in the center of the Throne Room. Rowena had seen him before, though never had any personal dealings with the messenger god, also nicknamed Prince of Thieves. He wasn't particularly tall, perhaps an inch or so taller than Rowena herself, with a lean build. His skin was tanned golden-brown from the sun, golden curls gleamed, and sky-blue eyes scanned the hall.

When he spotted them, he gave a curt nod in acknowledgement –gods weren't known to kowtow to others. "Lord Zeus summons Rowena, daughter of Lord Hades and Lady Persephone, to Olympus for her Initiation."

Rowena's spine stiffened at the word "summons". "I accept," she said coolly.

Hermes nodded. "Come, then," he said, holding out a hand. Then he hesitated, turning to Hades. "If I may have your permission to transport out of the Underworld, Lord Hades?"

"You may," Rowena's father replied.

Rowena lightly rested her fingertips on his arm. A moment later, she experienced the now-familiar sensation of falling –a side effect of transportation. As she would only become a full goddess after her Initiation, she wasn't yet able to transport on her own. She had, however, experienced it more than once before, as her parents would transport her along with them –it was possible to take others along using transportation as long as they remained had skin contact.

Stepping discreetly away from Hermes, Rowena looked around her to see that they were standing outside a huge stone building, the only structure in the field. Her heart nearly stopped when she realized where she was.

She was to be Initiated in Olympus' Great Hall –a hall designed to hold all the gods and goddesses that ever existed.

Why had her parents not told her? _And why didn't I ask?_ She thought despairingly. To discover now that she was to have her future decided in front of all the other divine beings sent her already-wrecked nerves careening around drunkenly.

Of course, she couldn't totally blame her parents. As a rule, gods could not tell of the Initiation, and what would happen. She knew only that young gods- and goddesses-to-be emerged from their Initiation as full goddesses, with new, official titles and duties. _I might not get to stay in the Underworld anymore,_ she thought, and her heart squeezed painfully at the thought. For all that most people –other gods included- thought that the Underworld was a dank and gloomy place, it was her home, one she had grown up in for the past fifty years of her life. She knew the ins and outs of it like she knew no other. Perhaps it was influence from her life in the Underworld, but in dealing with vengeful souls sent to Tartarus, she understood that life wasn't always pretty, or a dream. Olympus seemed, to her, too perfect to be real. She couldn't imagine how she would manage to live here for the rest of eternity.

To take her mind off her worries, she turned to the god still standing beside her. "Lord Hermes, if I may ask a question?"

"Speak, Rowena."

"When does my Initiation begin?"

He considered. "Shortly. Your parents should be in by now –we'll just wait a little more for those who habitually scoff at punctuality. Aphrodite, for one," he added.

Rowena smiled. "I'm sure I can imagine why."

He looked at her. "Relax," he said. "I can't tell you anything about the Initiation, but I _can_ promise that my father doesn't unleash hell upon the Initiated."

Her smile turned wry. "That might depend on one's definition of hell."

Hermes chuckled. "Well, not the Tartarus kind, at least."

She blew out a breath. "Thank you, Lord Hermes. That makes me feel _so_ much better."

***

Hades and Persephone appeared inside the Great Hall. Gods and goddesses stood, sat or lounged around, talking idly as they waited. At the end of the hall was a raised platform on which twelve chairs had been placed. Though the scene was informal, they knew they had to at least acknowledge their host.

With Persephone on his arm, Hades stepped forward to greet them. "Good day, brother," he said, addressing Zeus directly.

The King of the Gods looked them over, and to their credit, neither Hades nor Persephone so much as winced when Zeus raked his eyes along her frame in appreciation. "Welcome back to Olympus, brother; Lady Persephone. It has been too long."

"Indeed," Hades replied. "But then, the dead have their own agenda."

"You have been busy, then?"

"Certainly, Lord Zeus," Persephone said with perfect politeness. "We regret that we had not visited sooner."

"Mm. In any case, you are here now. We have much to catch up on, brother –perhaps we shall meet and catch up soon."

It was a discreet dismissal which neither missed. "Of course, brother." As quickly as manners would allow, they retreated.

When they were a safe distance away, Persephone cast a dark glance in Zeus' direction. "Pervert," she hissed.

"That about sums him up," Hades said, amused.

Remembering, she flushed a little. "I'm sorry –he's your brother, isn't he?"

"In a biological sense, yes. I don't like to imagine we are very alike, personality-wise."

She smiled up at him radiantly. "Oh, you aren't," she assured him. Then she glanced towards the entrance of the hall.

"Rowena will be fine," he told her. "She's our daughter, isn't she?"

"But I think of my Initiation, how different it would have been if I hadn't already known…"

"See, I knew you would thank me someday for abducting you," Hades said lightly, trying to distract his wife from her maternal worrying.

"I don't..."

Then the Hall quieted suddenly. Zeus announced in a booming voice, "Let the Initiation ceremony of Rowena, daughter of Lord Hades and Lady Persephone, begin."


End file.
